System Integration or Integrated Systems?

      Contributed by Lukasz Marks, Product Manager of Lantek Poland.

In the past, companies were forced to implement different software in each of these areas. This was the result of the thinking behind computer software creation and, the limitations of software tools at that time. The quality and speed of network connections and that of Internet connectivity was slower and less reliable. The result was that the possibilities for networked solutions or solutions in distributed systems was significantly less. Data between software programs was often transferred via files saved, for example, on floppy disks or other media. Due to these limitations and the difficulties in efficiently integrating these systems, working on many separate systems was deemed less ergonomic and productive. Since then, the new paradigm is one integrated system in which you can carry out as many tasks as possible. A paradigm which is still valid.

As a business evolves, it needs new software to help keep track of data, performance and customers. To do this, engineers and managers will have several different programs and software tools that are a core part of their daily workload. System integration means linking of these different systems and software applications so that they are able to talk to each other and act in a coordinated environment. When core business processes share information and changes, it results in a more effective use of data. The problem is that the difficulties associated with system integration very often only become apparent once the individual systems go live and it is too late to change course. These companies are already struggling with the complications of many different software programs, with data spread across all their systems when it should be synchronized in one place. The architecture of this type of software solution becomes a complex web of inefficient processes and disparate applications which will not properly share data or communicate together to keep the business running. Suddenly, data becomes located in individual siloses. The required information cannot be found with none of it coordinating, while some important functions may not work as expected. Processes become long and arduous with simple data extraction and administration tasks taking too long, wasting time that could be spent on higher value tasks.

For sheet metal manufacturers, the answer to the problems associated with system integration of many different software packages, described above, is Lantek Integra – a single integrated suite of business management modules that perfectly automate the majority of processes. The sheet metal cutting sector is unique in its requirements and, identifying a solution that meets all its needs globally, is complex, making it difficult to find in a single integrated software solution which is properly adapted to cover the entire sheet metal production process, from quoting to billing and the delivery of the product. Lantek’s customers have been benefiting from this technology for many years.

Lantek Integra is a whole factory system that can operate globally, and which is integrated with automated manufacturing management (Lantek MES Manager), 2D and 3D CAD/CAM (Lantek Expert and Lantek Flex3d) and advanced analysis (Lantek Analytics). This gives a thorough overview of the plant, optimizing production planning and collating the requirements and status of each department in real time.

Other Lantek Integra modules include Lantek Integra Quotes. This provides a powerful solution for creating and managing sheet metal part, profile or structure quotations. Designed for professionals involved in the quotation process, it does not require advanced expertise in designing or nesting. The main objective of this module is to generate concise quotations directly from the customers’ model. The system includes many tools to speed up this process. Links to Lantek’s CAD/CAM nesting software, simulate a nest, automatically calculating the cost for each piece. Lantek Integra Quotes supplies all the necessary information to optimize contact with both existing and new customers and is totally integrated with all the other Lantek Integra modules. Just like the quotation module, all the other Lantek Integra modules such as inventory or purchasing are fully integrated with Lantek Expert CAD/CAM.

Because all the modules are totally integrated with each other it creates a very powerful and flexible system for managing the whole manufacturing process. Key areas are automated, such as minimum stock levels triggering automatic creation of a sales order or, generation of a nest in the technical office directly from the customers’ model. With Lantek Integra engineers can start from a quotation adding different parts requiring different manufacturing operations both in-house and outsourced. Precise material requirements can be determined by background nesting through the CADCAM software and, once the quotation is accepted by the customer, one click creates the sales order and releases it to manufacturing with all the necessary material reservations and manufacturing and outsourcing operations.

In the MES module engineers can plan and track parts through the production process. Programmers can prepare nests while purchase orders and requests for quotations can be created to meet the material requirements or the need for outsourced operations. Clear and easy to use interfaces allow operators to report production status in real time allowing many reports and analyses to be run to provide the required KPIs. Finally, once the parts are finished, one click generates the necessary delivery notes and invoices.

Lantek Integra is designed for the sheet metal industry and is an integrated system and is very different from solutions offered by other suppliers. These may have disparate systems linked together which may have different operating systems, use different database solutions, computer languages, different date and time formats or may even be legacy systems no longer supported by the original vendor. The result of trying to integrate such a system without a structured approach will be unplanned dependencies resulting in a complex structure which is very difficult to maintain, and which is restrictive, inflexible and time wasting to use.

Unequivocally, integrated systems are better!